Here (in alphabetical order) are the early pacesetters in the chase to become the next manager of Stoke City following this morning's announcement of Gary Rowett's sacking...

SAM ALLARDYCE

The big fella is now 64, but may fancy one last crack at management before he follows Harry into the jungle. Has dropped down a division before to guide West Ham back at the first attempt in 2012 and has since had short (sometimes very short) spells with Sunderland, England, Crystal Palace and Everton.

Sam Allardyce, sacked by Everton. (Image: Peter Byrne)

CARLOS CARVALHAL

The cheerful 53 year-old from Portugal twice got Sheffield Wednesday into the play-offs during his time at Hillsborough between 2015 and 2017.

Swansea City took a gamble on him less than a week after Wednesday binned him and he won eight of his 25 games in charge en route to relegation and the sack last summer.

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The bearded wonder knows how to get out of this division after winning promotion in his only season with Watford (2015) and then repeating the feat at the end of his second full season with Fulham (2018). Available after Fulham’s disastrous start to thir Premier League return left him out in the cold in mid-November.

Slavisa Jokanovic... available and knows the Championship (Image: Getty)

ROY KEANE

Old stony face himself might be just what this Stoke dressing room needs and he will be itching to prove a point after going down with Martin O’Neill following a tough spell with Ireland. Knows the Championship after spells with Sunderland (2006-08) and Ipswich (2009-11).

DEREK McINNES

The 47 year-old Scot has been tickling many a people's fancy, including Glasgow Rangers last summer, after some sterling work turning Aberdeen into potential contenders again.

He's been at Pittodrie since 2013 after first making a name for himself at St Johnstone and then spending a couple of seasons at Bristol City.

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Has enjoyed something of a nomadic existence since Manchester United after taking charge of Real Sociedad, Sunderland and West Ham between 2014 and 2018 Has remained friends with chief executive Tony Scholes since their days together at Preston.

David Moyes.

MARTIN O’NEILL

Courted by Stoke 12 months ago and decided to stay put with Ireland, but now a free agent after it turned sour there. A wealth of experience and no little success after managing five English clubs and Celtic between 1990 and 2013.

NIGEL PEARSON

Is now the moment to resurrect his career in this country after taking something of a sabbatical in Belgium with OH Leuven since September 2017?

Vast experience with many clubs, including Leicester in two spells, and was also number two to Gary Megson and Gudjon Thordarson at Stoke between 1999 and 2001.